When complex technological advancements are harnessed to simplify human lives, the result is always laudable. The opportunity for Dubai residents to replace their health insurance cards with their Emirates ID by the first quarter of 2017, is the latest example — and an end to the litany of passwords, apps, pins and cards might soon be on the anvil.
While biometric cards have successfully captured the best of leapfrogging technologies of our times, the seamless integration of secure personal data with a health management system is indeed welcome news for the future of a city and country underpinned by innovation. Dubai and the UAE have always been at the forefront of innovation to improve the quality of life of the nation’s millions of residents and citizens — and an affirmation of this can be found in both the National Strategy for Innovation as well as Dubai’s own vision of a modern and holistic future for its residents.
Gitex Technology Week, where the confirmation of the integration between Emirates ID and health insurance was made, has itself become a bi-annual showcase of technology being deployed in our daily lives to keep us healthy, secure, financially savvy, agile and updated with the newest trends. But the challenge of achieving such seamless connectivity between information systems is often overlooked. Apart from the constant human quest for progress, the necessity for such digital solutions is also framed by factors ranging from enhancing security to keeping illegal hackers at bay to complying with a global matrix of legal protocol. Managing a population as diverse as in Dubai and the UAE is therefore no easy task, and that’s where the authorities have consistently scored a high.
From health care to hailing taxis, UAE residents are already surrounded by a multitude of such technologies, and as a society, they can surely look forward to more such instances of innovation that strive to make our lives simple and more convenient.
